Guest column: Every gift shared goes to helping someone in need

Jesus said we must love our neighbor as ourselves, not right after ourselves.

Jesus talks about strangers from east and west, from north and south, eating in the Kingdom of God as part of a great reversal where “some are last who will be first, and some are first who will be last” (Luke 13:29-30). Shortly after uttering those words, Jesus admonishes the host of a banquet to “invite the poor, the crippled, the lame, and the blind. And you will be blessed, because they cannot repay you” (Luke 14:13-14).

Jesus, who manifested the Kingdom of God in the way he conducted his life, was criticized by the religious leaders of his day for “welcoming sinners and eating with them” (Luke 15:2). In response to their criticism, Jesus tells parables of a shepherd searching for a single lost sheep, a woman searching for a single lost coin, and a father welcoming a wayward son (Luke 15:3-32).

He goes on to talk pointedly about wealth, always praising those who share it freely and condemning those who would hold onto it (Luke 16:1-15). Taken together, God's will is spelled out by Jesus as the welcoming of the stranger and sharing of all we have with others, especially the less fortunate.

We who call ourselves First Christian Church of Fullerton practice what we preach. We are good stewards of the resources God has given us including time, talent and finances.

Consider this: every dollar you share with your church benefits someone in need.

When you pay pastors' salaries, you bring comfort to your fellow church members who are hurting, whether they are hospitalized, stricken with grief, or otherwise in need of support. You provide a pastor with the opportunity to study and pray so he can offer the Gospel message every Sunday morning. You also make sure someone will be dedicated to training people to be disciples and disciples to be disciple-makers. You feed the spiritually hungry, give drink to those who thirst for understanding, visit those who are alone, and bring people together in fellowship.

When you pay a secretary's salary, you make sure that everyone who enters our church or calls on the phone is welcomed with the love of Christ. You share news of the ministry of our church through an outstanding weekly newsletter. You provide bulletins and other resources to enable people to participate in any or all of our three weekly services. Perhaps most importantly, you provide a switchboard for communication between members.

When you maintain our facility, you put a roof over the heads of alcoholics and drug addicts as they find recovery from the ravages of addiction. You provide a home to the Florence Crittenton High School. You give people a place to gather to worship God, to study the Gospel and to form lasting relationships with other Christians.

Every dime you give to your church, every hour you volunteer and every talent you share goes to benefit someone in need, directly or indirectly. Where else could you make such a profound difference as you practice the stewardship of your resources?

We know the gifts God has given you are precious, and we go to great pains to share them where they are most needed. Our church can only practice good stewardship because you practice good stewardship.